MANAGE & LEAD
WHY SALESPEOPLE SHOULD USE CONDITIONAL QUESTIONS
By : Susan Toussaint
This strategy helps producers collaborate with prospects by providing them insights to help them make better , more informed decisions .
In the classic movie " Glengarry Glen Ross ," the character Blake was the quintessential salesman who exercised high-pressure tactics to close the deal —" always be closing ." In his mind , his clients were marks to be played . Selling has come a long way since then . Buyers are far more sophisticated , primarily due to the increased availability of information . As a result , high-pressure tactics often don ' t work and , in many cases , create buyer resistance .
Today , producers and other sellers are encouraged to work more collaboratively with prospects by providing them insights to help them make better , more informed decisions . The more collaborative approach allows the prospect to make small but significant decisions throughout the buying journey .
These mini decisions , positioned by the producer , help advance the sales process and build alignment around future steps to be taken , ideally leading to closing the deal and an insightful and rewarding buying experience for the prospect .
Conditional language , or language that positions an outcome based on a specific set of conditions occurring , can be a powerful selling strategy . When used in a questioning format , the conditional language encourages the buyer to consider alternative and sometimes contrasting outcomes .
The opposite of conditional language is the use of statements . Statements or assertions can be risky in selling , mainly when collaboration is the goal . They can cause friction as buyers often view them as challenges rather than insights .
Consider this example :
Statement Conditional Statement Conditional Question
Your workers ’ compensation audit is incorrect , and you are being overcharged .
Your workers ’ compensation audit is likely incorrect and , as a result , could be causing you to pay more than necessary for your workers ’ compensation insurance .
If you were to discover your workers ’ compensation audit was incorrect and causing you to pay more than you should , would you want to do something about it ?
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